After a career change, a change back and then having another baby; I did not think I would be back finishing this course. Luckily I can be stubborn, and here I am. Four units and a placement is all that stands between me and the dream of being a librarian! With three little ones in tow, a husband trying to make his own dreams come true and a smattering of pets to keep alive – I have got this!
This unit has been an insightful look into how literature and literacy have changed with the globalisation of todays society. Where historically there was a focus on the literacy skills of decoding and deciphering texts to then withdraw meaning. As society has changed there has been a pedagogical shift from these skills into a more literary approach resulting in students requiring not only the skill to read but also to learn through what they are reading. Literary Learning requires the skills of literacy but it allows for students to gain a broader knowledge in other Key Learning Areas (KLAs) as it provides students with access to a range of meaningful texts to support engagement and understanding. This key difference between literacy and literary learning is something I will take with my into my future practice as a teacher librarian.
Throughout this unit have had a shift in my own understanding of the role in literature as teaching tool, as I have moved from the use of picture books as a form of entertainment or linked specifically to the English curriculum and instead have moved into a more dynamic way of teaching through literature. In my final assessment I struggled in tying the use of fictional literature to KLAs as I had initially focused on history and found that many of the books were non-fiction that were supportive of the curriculum. I ended up changing my KLA to the creative arts as I felt the medium lent to this syllabus in a meaningful way. Something I have noted as a casual teacher is that often in the early years teachers are not confident in teaching visual arts, or are scared of mess. There is a lot of explicit instruction on how to do guided drawings, or step by step crafts. Whilst I value these teaching experiences, I also feel that the use of literature can create a more freeing approach to visual arts, and to open up broader discussion for the appreciation of art.
Something that has really stood out to me from the learning in this unit is the importance of students developing transliteracy skills. As the world changes student are no longer required to simply understand reading and writing but to adapt these basic skills into numerous environment’s, including digital environments. As the world changes there has been a change towards engaging, ‘creative and innovative ways to keep students highly involved in their education,’ (Kopka, 2014). As I discussed in my previous post about transliteracy, the modern world is accessing content and resources of varying significance on an almost instantaneous and constant rate. From medical bills to entertainment, teachers need to be preparing their students with transliteracy skills, (Stuart, 2023, January 19). Using Transmedia as an extension of literary learning provides students with the creative and adaptive skills which will transfer into real world circumstances.
References
Kopka. S. (2014, May 7). Transmedia and education: Using transmedia in the classroom with a focus on interactive literature. Sekopa. https://sekopka.wordpress.com/2014/05/07/transmedia-education-using-transmedia-in-the-classroom-with-a-focus-on-interactive-literature/
The world is rapidly changing and the way in which we contribute to society is changing alongside it.
The transition from a print based world to a digital world is shifting the focus from literacy to a term coined, ‘Transliteracy’. The following video identifies Transliteracy as, ‘the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media,’ (librarianbyday, 2009).
As teachers and teacher librarians, we can no longer focus solely on the ability to read and write. Students are growing up in a world where they are constantly adapting to advancing technology and digital tools. In the past year I have used my phone to pay bills, seek immediate medical advice, filled legal paperwork, completed government forms and used social media accounts for entertainment. These differing forms of media all required my ability to not only read what I was doing but understand how the forms and content were set out and how I what I would need to contribute to them.